Category Archives: News

News

What hikers do and do NOT do…

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that the CHP has rescued a “hiker” from the Pacific Crest Trail.  The guy they rescued was only 12 hours into his hike when young Dartagnan ran out of water “due to the drought” and became lost.

There are a number of things that I find questionable about this story.  Not that the guy wandering around was named Dartagnan, not the silliness about the drought causing him to run out of water, and not even that he became lost after 12 hours of hiking (at night) on a part of the trail that is fairly easy to see.

From the article:

“He scampered into the open beyond the tree line where pilot Souza was able to make a landing at the edge of a cliff.”

Just so that we’re clear: Hikers hike.  They don’t “scamper.”  Ever.

You can read the whole strange tale HERE.

News

California’s drought is 100% the fault of environmentalism

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

I have long said that environmentalism is the bane of the planet. Environmentalists are largely to blame for most of the world’s ills – and certainly 100% of the blame for California’s drought is rightly centered on them and their idiotic meddling with nature. We would not be where we are today as Californians if we didn’t listen to environmentalists.  See my earlier post Unnatural Forests about why environmentalism is wrong-headed, and why conservation is the right thing to do.

…and we’d be MUCH further ahead of the game if we didn’t just “take the word” of so-called “reporters” who seem to be just making things up as they go along so they can get a paycheck. Truth be damned!

The latest “statistic” foisted on us by “reporters” is that California’s agriculture uses up 80% of the water in California.

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National Forests, News

Nestle pumping water out of the San Bernardino Forest without a valid permit

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Nestle Waters North America – the bottler of Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water (one of my absolute favorites bottled waters; yes, I am a water snob!) – is in a bit of trouble over their water extraction operation in the San Bernardino National Forest.  It appears that during California’s current environmentalist caused drought catastrophe, Nestle has been pumping out water under permits that may have expired as far back as 1988.

Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water, which takes its name from a natural rock formation in the San Bernardino Mountains that’s shaped like a giant arrowhead, is a brand of drinking water that is sold primarily in the western United States, including California, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest.  The company was acquired by Nestlé in 1987 – a year before the oldest permit expired.

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News, Offroading - General

Name change: California Four Wheel Drive Association

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Just got an email from the California Association of 4WD Clubs, Inc. letting me know that they’re not them anymore. They’re now the “California Four Wheel Drive Association, Inc.” which does roll off the tongue a bit better. From the email:

During the annual meeting in February the association’s delegates approved the bylaw proposal put forth by Steve Egbert to change the name of the association from the California Association of 4WD Clubs, Inc. to the California Four Wheel Drive Association, Inc. A new logo was also approved. The changes will be phased in slowly — we’ll keep you posted on when new decals and other items will be available.

You can visit their website HERE.

You can join the club HERE.

News

BLM Releases Draft West Mojave Planning Area Route Network Project for Public Review

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the Draft Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the West Mojave Route Network Project, providing guidance and management direction for over three million acres of public lands in San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Riverside and Los Angeles counties.

The release of the draft plan delivers a proposed solution for adaptive and responsible travel management planning and off-highway vehicle use within the WEMO planning area while protecting important resources and maximizing public accessibility in the desert. The plan also outlines conservation provisions for important wildlife species such as the desert tortoise, taking an active role in protection and recovery of their habitat.

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